The Battle of Melitein is a battle between the army of the crusaders under the command of Bohemund I of Antioch and the Danishmendid Turks led by Danishmend Gazi in 1100 near the city of Melitene (now Malatya ), which ended in the defeat of the crusaders.
| Battle of Melitene |
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| Main Conflict: Crusades |
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| date of | 1100 |
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| A place | Melitena ( Turkey ) |
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| Total | The victory of the Danishmendids |
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 Principality of Antioch
| Danishmendids |
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Boemund I | Danishmend Gazi |
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many killed, some prisoners | is unknown |
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After the acquisition of the Principality of Antioch in 1098, Bohemund I entered into an alliance with the Armenians of Cilicia . When Gabriel Melitensky and his Armenian garrison were attacked by the Danishmendid Turks, Boemund I came to their aid with the army.
The leader of the Turks Danishmend Gazi ambushed, and "most of the crusaders were killed" [1] . Boehmund I was captured with Richard Salerno . Among the dead were the Armenian bishops of Marash and Antioch . Boehmund I was released for ransom in 1103 , and his salvation was the occasion for the start of the unsuccessful Rear Guard Crusade of 1101 .
Baldwin , Earl of Edessa , and then King of Jerusalem , later successfully liberated Melithen . However, in 1101 the Danishmendids again captured the city.
